Telescope performance and Image simulations of the balloon-borne coded-mask protoMIRAX experiment

PENACCHIONI, ANA VIRGINIA; BRAGA, JOAO; CASTRO, MANUEL; D'AMICO, FLAVIO

Journal of High Energy Astrophysics

Elsevier

Lugar: San Diego; Año: 2015 vol. 5-6 p. 22 - 29

2214-4048

In this work we present the results of imaging simulations performed with the help of the GEANT4 package for the protoMIRAX hard X-ray balloon experiment. The instrumental background was simulated taking into account the various radiation components and their angular dependence, as well as a detailed mass model of the experiment. We modeled the meridian transits of the Crab Nebula and the Galactic Centre region during balloon flights in Brazil (∼ - 23 ° of latitude and an altitude of ∼ 40km) and introduced the correspondent spectra as inputs to the imaging simulations. We present images of the Crab and of three sources in the Galactic Centre region: 1E 1740.7-2942, GRS 1758-258 and GX 1+4. The results show that the protoMIRAX experiment is capable of making spectral and timing observations of bright hard X-ray sources as well as important imaging demonstrations that will contribute to the design of the MIRAX satellite mission.